The Sun is the new Moon
by Nanome
Summary: To a hero, Death is but the next great adventure. Although Naruto never expected that his next adventure would be as Sasuke, he is pretty good at winging things. Even if he's a Jinchuriki again. Even if Minato and Kushina are alive. Even if everything has changed while still remaining the same. Well, they say to expect the unexpected...damn it, I'm going to die again, aren't I?


**Disclaimer: In a sense, the term 'nonsense' doesn't make much sense. Everything makes some sense, at least to someone.**

**I do not own Naruto.**

* * *

Naruto always tried to do what's right. It's a tragedy that it frequently landed him in trouble. But as far as tragedies go, this one barely made the cut.

He was standing in front of the esteemed fourth Hokage, a man he was proud to call father. But that was another lifetime, and he was a different person. It would be weird if he called the Hokage father now because his actual father was standing behind him, a frown on his face and a look of defeat in his eyes.

In contrast, Minato had an amused smile playing on his lips and a twinkle in his blue eyes. "How are you today, Fugaku-san?"

Fugaku's brow twitched in annoyance at the knowing look in the Hokage's eyes but he stood rigid. "I was fine until I was summoned here, Hokage-sama."

Naruto watched the byplay with a look of faux innocence on his visage. It was marred by the streaks of paint on his chubby cheeks and clothes and the glaring proof of his crime being clearly visible from the Hokage's office. The Hokage Monument stood proud and strong, winning the test against time, if not for the artwork gracing the Hokage's faces.

The first Hokage had a trail of drool leaking down his chin, a swirly look in his eyes as he gazed upon the village hidden in the leaves. The second Hokage was sporting a fully-awakened Sharingan in his eyes and a 'Hn' painted on his cheek. The third Hokage had a visible blush on his cheeks and pink love symbols for eyes. In comparison, the Fourth Hokage's monument was left relatively unharmed, except for three whisker marks on each cheek.

All in all, the Hokage monument looked much livelier than it looked in decades, at least in Naruto's humble opinion; It didn't help his case that the second Hokage was probably rolling in his grave.

"Ne, Tou-chan, how long until we go home?" Naruto whined as he tugged at Fugaku's sleeve. "I'm hungry."

Fugaku looked like he was visibly restraining himself from strangling his son. "It's your fault that we're here, Naruto."

"Ehhh?" Naruto seemed as if he was shocked by the revelation. "But I thought you're here to meet Itachi-nii!"

Aforementioned Itachi-nii was standing beside Naruto, looking as if he was used to this byplay between father and son. He was. Itachi could do nothing but share glances with the fourth Hokage as his five-year-old brother riled up their father like no one else could in this village. He should've been busy with his Chunin duties but he was called up early in the morning to deal with his little brother. Apparently, he was the only Chunin in the entire village who could catch Naruto and no one's going to enlist a Jonin just to run after a five-year-old.

Itachi didn't know whether to feel worried that his fellow comrades couldn't catch a five-year-old or proud that his little brother could run circles around the entire village's ninja force.

Fugaku, on the other hand, could already feel the oncoming headache due to his son's antics. He didn't know where he went wrong with his second child. It might be a curse from the gods to balance out the perfection that was Itachi Uchiha. It didn't help that his wife practically adored the little troublemaker.

"I'm here because you disappeared before dawn, worrying the soul out of your mother, and defaced the entire Hokage Monument!" Fugaku bit out in anger.

"You noticed it, huh?" Naruto rubbed the back of his head, a proud smile adorning his face.

"How can anyone miss it?!"

Minato felt like he could watch this drama the whole day. Rarely were the people who enter his office so entertaining and it's even rarer for them to be Uchiha. But he had his responsibilities as a Hokage. "If I may, Fugaku-san, we can make Naruto clean up his mistake as punishment."

"So cruel," Naruto gasped in horror.

"I find it acceptable, Hokage-sama," Fugaku replied with a nod, paying no heed to the complaints from his son. He reminisced of the day his life had changed its course, and probably not for the better.

The second child of Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha was born with the largest chakra reserves ever seen on an Uchiha. If not for his black eyes and dark hair, he would've been mistaken for an Uzumaki by any sensor.

Fugaku was overjoyed that his second child might be just as much of a prodigy as his first; if only he had known of the trouble that came with it. It didn't take long for Fugaku to notice that Naruto was _different. _He was hyperactive even as a child and absolutely hated staying still. He babbled as if he was conveying something and would always stare at people with such fascination that Fugaku wondered what went on in his head.

Naruto acted so unlike an Uchiha that Fugaku wasn't sure if he would ever grow out of it. Then he met Kushina Uzumaki and Fugaku gave up on that hope.

Kushina and Naruto mixed like fire and oil; it was an explosive combination. They instantly formed a connection the moment they met; A connection so deep that Kushina insisted on naming her godson Naruto despite Mikoto planning on the name Sasuke. As was usual, it didn't take long before his wife crumbled under the exuberance of Kushina Uzumaki and Fugaku had to settle for naming his son after a ramen ingredient. In spite of everything, if there was a reason that Hokage and this Wife were alive today, Fugaku could admit that it was because of his son.

He still vividly remembered the day Nine-tails attacked the village. Naruto had started throwing a tantrum early in the morning that day and he wouldn't stop until his mother took him to meet his Aunt Kushina. Kushina had entered labor that evening and Mikoto decided to stay with her friend for the process of the childbirth.

Fugaku still didn't know what happened behind sealed walls on that day but he knew that a masked man had attacked and released the nine tails. Minato had no option but to seal the Kyuubi into a child after his fight with the masked man and in a twist of fate, Mikoto had offered Naruto.

Minato had originally planned for using the Death Reaper seal to bind one half of the Kyuubi into his child and another half into himself. But the availability of another vessel made him alter his strategy. There would be no need to sacrifice himself and his brilliant mind stumbled upon the benefits of sealing a part of the Kyuubi into an Uchiha.

No one would expect an Uchiha to be a Jinchuuriki and even if they did, they would never realize that Konoha now had two Jinchuuriki. Their dojutsu would mean that they'd have an easier time controlling the power of the Kyuubi and this move could strengthen the weakening relationship between the Founding Clan and the village.

So, in a move that forever altered the fate of the world, Minato sealed one half on the Kyuubi into his daughter, Mito Namikaze, and the other half into his godson, Naruto Uchiha.

* * *

Naruto sighed in boredom as he scrubbed the paint on the Third Hokage's cheek. He remembered doing the same in another lifetime when he was older and stupider. A lot had changed since then and it took him years to catch up with the happenings of his own life.

Apparently, he was Naruto Uchiha now.

He still did a double-take whenever that thought crossed his mind. He remembered dying as the nine-tails was extracted from his body, the face of his crush Sakura hovering above his body as he died, eyes filled with tears as she futilely tried to revive him again and again. He remembered all the people that influenced his life, all the promises he made, and all his regrets. He remembered wondering if he would ever truly understand his rival, Naruto Uchiha.

Then he was born. Again.

The reality of his situation didn't hit him until the day he had seen _her. _His mother from a previous life, Kushina Uzumaki. She was just as vibrant as he remembered her except for the glaringly obvious pregnancy bump. He was worried that being born as Naruto would forever hinder him from becoming as close to Kushina as he liked. His worries were for naught.

Kushina Uzumaki and Mikoto Uchiha were best friends. So much so that Kushina was his godmother and Minato was his godfather. Why didn't anybody tell him in his previous life? It would have made dealing with the emo, red-eyed bastard a little bit easier.

But that was then. This was now. And everything's so damn confusing.

His trip down the memory lane was interrupted by a presence appearing behind him in a shunshin and he was greeted by the familiar sight of Itachi staring down at him.

"Yo, Itachi-nii," Naruto, or Naruto as he's called now, said with a wave of his hand. "Are you here to rescue me from the tyrant Hokage and lead our lives as missing-nin, while being a part of a terrorist organization?"

Itachi blinked in bewilderment before he shook his head with an amused smile. "Your overactive imagination aside, Otouto, I'm indeed here to take you home."

Naruto cheered in relief and didn't waste time jumping onto Itachi's shoulders. "Very well. As your future Hokage, Nii-chan, I want you to carry me all the way."

"Hai, Hai" Itachi secured his hold on his brother and took off with a flicker.

It didn't take them long to reach home but guarding the entrance was a vengeful warrior in the form of their mother. Her usual kind gaze was replaced with a glare and a scowl was playing on her lips. With her hands on her hips and a stern expression on her face, Mikoto cut out an imposing figure.

Naruto paid no heed to her glare and jumped onto the ground. "Hello, Kaa-chan."

Mikoto stood unmoving. "Where were you all day, Naruto?"

"I was out having fun," Naruto replied easily, a wide grin on his face.

Mikoto's glare lightened at his response. Itachi might be the clan's favorite Uchiha but there was something about Naruto that instantly attracted people around him. His atypical nature combined with his passion for trouble didn't endear him to any of the clan's elders but among other children, he's something akin to a role model.

She crouched down to his level to place a hand on his head and ruffled his hair. Naruto grouched in protest but didn't shy away from her touch. Unlike Itachi, Naruto reveled in the affection of others, and that might be what made it so hard to stay angry at him.

"Go and take a bath. I've already prepared breakfast," Mikoto pushed him into the house, glancing out of the corner of her eyes at her eldest son. "You too, Itachi."

Itachi nodded in acceptance, calmly sliding into the house. Mikoto released a sigh, wondering if Kushina was having as much trouble with Mito as she did with Naruto. There was a ruckus from inside of the house as her husband and Naruto got into another one of their amusing arguments. Mikoto hung her head in resignation.

Probably not.

* * *

Kushina watched in silence as her daughter elegantly moved the brush on the sealing paper, the curves of ink melding into each other in the shape of an elaborate sealing array. As was the case with Uzumaki, Mito was quick to adapt to the difficult strokes of Fuinjutsu and was able to replicate the basic seals without any major mistakes.

"The top-left corner is missing a kanji, you know," a voice whispered from behind and Mito jerked her brush in surprise. She calmed down her racing heart, only to see a long black streak run down the sealing array, striking away most of the important segments. "Now you've ruined it."

Mito's face turned as red as her hair in anger, and all of it was directed at the dark-haired boy who appeared at her side. "Naruto!"

"Hey, I was only trying to help," Naruto raised his palms in surrender, the customary sheepish grin plastered on his lips. His lackadaisical apology didn't stop Mito from lunging at him and he was quick to scamper away from her.

Kushina could only watch as her daughter tried to chase her godson around, running circles around the room in her rage. In times like these, Kushina wished that Mito didn't inherit her infamous temper along with her vibrant red hair. While her daughter was as smart and composed as Minato at most times, Naruto somehow managed to bright out the fiery side of her; He usually became the victim of that fiery side too.

Kushina could admit that she liked to see her daughter being energetic and lively but watching two Jinchuuriki with endless stamina run amok in her house was not what she had planned for the morning. She brought out two chakra chains to bind the two hyperactive kids and lift them into the air.

Mito struggled for a moment before she realized it was futile and settled for glaring daggers at Naruto. Naruto seemed like he was barely fazed by the glare and even managed to blow a raspberry at Mito, making her struggle harder to get out of her bounds.

"Would you two promise to behave if I put you down?" Kushina asked after making them hover in the air for a few seconds. For a hyperactive kid, that might as well be an eternity.

"I always behave, Oba-chan," Naruto shot back earnestly. "Can't say the same about Mito though."

"Oh?" Kushina retorted before Mito could work herself into another frenzy. "Then what is this I hear about you redecorating the Hokage Monument?"

"Someone should," Naruto didn't even refute her statement, his expression proud as if he had done the village a great service. "Did you like it?"

"It was hilarious," Kushina snickered along with Naruto in a moment of camaraderie. "Great idea and great execution."

"They don't call me a genius for nothing, you know," Naruto boasted immodestly.

Mito could only watch the exchange from the sidelines with a twitching brow. Give it enough time and the pretty boy always managed to get into any female's good graces. The odd charisma combined with his natural pretty looks made him a weapon be reckoned with in any confrontation. It didn't help that in most of the cases, the confrontation was with her.

"Kaa-chan, don't forget that he ruined my practice," Mito complained with a pout.

"Oi, I thought that was history," Naruto interjected.

"It happened five minutes ago."

Mito huffed in annoyance but did not try to pursue her revenge against the dark-haired Uchiha. Naruto relaxed once it was obvious that Mito wasn't going to attack him but that did not stop him from skipping over to the red-haired girl and placing an arm around her shoulders.

"Hey, Mio-chan, let's go for ramen, ne?" Naruto employed his nickname for her as he tried to convince her to go along with his plan. "Itachi-nii once again ditched me for some stupid mission."

"Serves you right," Mito crossed her arms and looked away from him. "And, no, I don't wanna eat ramen now."

"What?!" Naruto stepped away from her, a look of betrayal crossing his face. "But Mio-chan, I thought we were ramen buddies."

"Not today, Naru-kun, I'm still angry at you," Mito put her foot down and stood unwavering even in the face of ramen.

"But, but...ramen buddies!" Naruto exclaimed, as though that explained everything.

"That's not even a proper reason!"

Naruto merely shook his head at the ultimate betrayal and grabbed Kushina's hand. "Come on, Oba-chan. I know you will never stab me in the back."

Kushina could only blink in confusion as Naruto dragged her along with him, and in her befuddlement, she didn't even put up any resistance.

"Don't be such a drama queen, Naru-kun," Mito retorted but Naruto was already walking out of the house with Kushina in tow. "Oi, don't drag Kaa-chan into your stupid plans."

* * *

Five minutes later, the three of them were sitting in front of Ichiraku's, waiting for their orders to be ready. Mito was pouting again and Kushina was wondering how she ended up here. One thing she knew for sure was that Naruto was to blame.

Meanwhile, Naruto was sitting between the two Uzumaki women, kicking his legs in boredom as he looked around. He watched as an entourage moved outside the shop, heading in the direction of the Hokage tower. "Oba-chan, what's all the ruckus outside for?"

"An ambassador from Kumo is visiting today," Kushina replied with a sour look on her visage and ended it at that.

Naruto nodded his head, already knowing the reason behind her foul mood. Kumo and Kushina Uzumaki had a terrible history, the least of which was trying to kidnap her. "Don't worry, Oba-chan. If they pull anything, I'll kick their asses, 'kay?"

"I'm sure you will, Naruto-chan," Kushina ruffled his hair with an amused smile, her previous foul mood forgotten. But that didn't mean she completely ignored what he said. "And where are you learning such foul language from, _Naruto-chan?" _

Naruto had a shiver run down his spine as Kushina glanced down at him, her red hair swaying like the tails of a beast.

"Otou-san," Naruto answered without missing a beat, having no qualms with throwing his father under the bus.

Kushina eyed him for a few more seconds, making him gulp in apprehension, before accepting his answer with a nod. "I'm sure Mikoto will deal with Fugaku."

Naruto held a silent prayer for his father, already knowing of the terrible wrath of Mikoto Uchiha. His musings were interrupted by the kind angel that was Ayame-chan, who arrived with their orders. "Thank you, Ayame-chan."

Ayame giggled as she watched Naruto dig into his meal with gusto, a blissful expression on his pale face. She withheld the urge to pinch his cheeks, only to fail as she watched him try to eat quickly while still hoping to maintain the grace befitting of an Uchiha.

"Ayame-chan," Naruto whined as she pulled at his cheeks, interrupting him from gulping down his meal.

Mito took the chance to steal some ramen from his bowl, poking her tongue out at Naruto in an act of petty revenge for earlier. Naruto narrowed his eyes at her and held his bowl closer to prevent any more theft. He turned to Kushina to complain about Mito, only to find the Uzumaki matriarch already on her second bowl, without showing signs of stopping anytime soon. Mito giggled at his deadpan expression, savoring the taste of the noodles she pilfered.

Naruto withheld an elated smile from blossoming on his face as he took in the atmosphere. This was what he was missing in his previous life. A family to call his own.

The ramen was the same but it tasted so much better in the company of people he loved.

* * *

The clock was steadily inching its way towards midnight and despite all the excitement of the day, Naruto was still feeling restless as he laid in his bed. He tossed and turned for a few minutes and even tried staying still for another few and yet sleep evaded him like a ninja.

When it became obvious that his efforts to sleep were in vain, he jumped out of the bed and dropped onto the cold, wooden floor without making a sound. He inched his way towards the window, glancing behind him one last time to make sure his escape went unnoticed. Leaping out of the window, he landed on the ground in a crouch and took off in a flicker.

He jumped from rooftop to rooftop, the cold air hitting his face pleasantly while the moon peered at him from behind the clouds. The streets were lighted by the bulbs from store-fronts, leaving most of the area dark except for the few bright spots. The whole village reeked of reminiscence.

Naruto would've continued his delightful escapade if not for the sole anomaly in the midst of this peace. A Shinobi was rushing away from the Hyuuga compound in a hurry, a heavy sack hanging down his shoulders, and from the looks of it, he was heading towards the boundary of the village.

Like any responsible citizen of the village – that was exactly what Naruto would repeat when, not if but when, someone asked him why he decided to confront the strange shinobi – he rushed after the suspicious figure, adding a burst of chakra to his legs to power his leaps.

Within a few moments, he was in earshot of the ninja, and from the close distance, it was evident that the ninja was _not _from Konoha.

"Hey, ninja-san, where are you going?" Naruto asked politely as he chased after the Kumo Shinobi. He knew that if he put up a fight right away, the man would take him seriously and there was little doubt in Naruto's mind that the man could toy with him on his best day.

Like any respectable ninja, the man didn't pause despite his surprise and kept on running towards his destination. But the man gave a glance behind his back to observe his pursuer, only to see a five-year-old running behind him. The man put on a burst of speed to evade the kid, knowing that if he stopped to deal with the annoyance, greater threats would catch up to him.

Naruto, aware of what could be running through the stranger's head, sent on a large burst of chakra to his soles and descended upon the ninja, only for the man to sidestep the attack. The tiles of the roof buckled and shattered under the hit and the ninja's eyes widened in shock. What were they feeding the kids in Konoha?

The Kumo shinobi halted his run, deciding to deal with the kid than to see what more tricks the brat had up his sleeve. He dropped the sack on the roof and slipped a kunai into his palm before chucking it at the five-year-old but the kid dodged it with a simple tilt of his head.

"You must be a really shitty ambassador, aren't you, ninja-san?" Naruto quipped with a smirk. "What kind of ambassador attacks a kid from the host village?"

The Kumo ninja chucked three more kunai in response. Naruto dodged two and caught the third one by slipping his index finger through the hole. The ninja used this distraction to engage him with a kunai in his hand, knowing that using any flashy jutsu would only end up drawing more attention to him.

Naruto ducked under a kunai swipe to the head and blocked a kick to his midsection with his forearm. But the power behind the kick launched him to the side and the ninja rushed after him with an intent to kill. A punch to the chest from the ninja was blocked by his knee and Naruto twirled in the air to launch a kick at the man's head.

The shinobi jerked back to evade the kick and caught Naruto's ankle in his hand. Naruto chucked the kunai in his hand at the ninja and the man relinquished the grip on his leg to leap back. The two of them stood in stalemate for a fraction of a second before Naruto formed his most utilized hand-sign from his previous life.

Four shadow clones popped up around him and rushed to meet the ninja head-on while Naruto stayed behind. The ninja only had a moment to get over his surprise before the clones were upon him, surrounding him from all sides. They sent a flurry of strikes and the ninja proved his worth by dodging the blitz gracefully, not even taking a hit.

But it's clear from the man's face that he was slowly getting annoyed by the steady interference from a damn brat. God only knew how a five-year-old could perform the shadow clone jutsu but it ended up being a thorn on his side. He utilized his superior reach to dispel two clones that were trying to attack him head-on while a third clone ambushed him from behind. He caught a punch from the fourth clone and hurled it at the clone at his back. He put on a burst of speed and kicked the flying clone duo in the chest, dispelling the last two.

He breathed a sigh and turned behind to deal with the original but found no one in the vicinity. His instincts blared at him to look up and he put on a hasty block with his forearm above his head.

Naruto plunged down upon the ninja like a human sledgehammer, his leg coated with more chakra than most genin possessed. His shin hit the man's forearm, nearly breaking it at the impact. The man's knees buckled under him and the tiles under his feet cracked and splintered as his feet dug into them.

The man glanced at his forearm in barely concealed rage, his teeth gritting as he observed the purple bruise. It pained him just to flex his arm. "I've let this charade go on for too long, brat."

Naruto barely had time to blink before a bolt of lightning whizzed past him, the attack only missing its mark because he was quick on his feet and relied on his instincts. The jutsu went on to hit the roof behind him, scorching it at the point of contact. The realization that the ninja started to take him seriously followed the attack and he could only form two more clones in a hurry before the ninja was upon him like a predator.

Naruto twisted and whirled like a madman to avoid the hailstorm of kicks and punches that rained around him but with each passing second, he was getting slower while the ninja got faster. His clones sacrificed themselves to throw him away from his enemy but the man shot another lightning bolt at him in an instant.

Stuck in the air from the throw, Naruto only managed to put his arms up in defense before the lightning bolt struck him. He ground his molars as his body twitched in pain from the shock and smoke wafted off his arms from the burns. He could feel the Kyuubi's chakra rushing to his wound to avoid any permanent damage but it did nothing to stave off the agony.

He knew that he could last but a few seconds more against his superior foe while another part of his mind wondered _where the hell _the backup was. His chest was heaving from the prolonged effort and his arms still hadn't stopped twitching.

"Tit for tat, kid," the Kumo shinobi chuckled cruelly, already preparing another lightning jutsu at the tip of his fingers.

Naruto ducked with haste as another lightning bolt raced above his head, searing some of the hairs sticking out at the back – He was beginning to really hate that stupid jutsu. It was fast and scarcely took any time to prepare – He was definitely going to learn that later; If he survived this fight, that is.

His eyes could no longer keep up with the speed of the foreign ninja and he was starting to panic behind his calm facade. The fight went on for only about two minutes but he expected the Fourth or one of the Hyuuga to appear before things went out of hand. At this rate, he might have to bring out the big guns from his past life, despite the strain that they might put on his young body. He put up a flimsy defense as the ninja appeared before him in a flash but the power behind the man's jab broke past his guard and grazed his chin.

The man brought out a kunai and coated it with lightning chakra, a smirk appearing on his lips. Naruto's eyes widened in alarm as the man's speed increased even further and fear started to creep upon his senses. He dodged the first swipe due to sheer luck but his heart hammered in his chest as sparks of lightning kissed his skin.

Unbeknownst to Naruto, his eyes began to bleed red into their irises as two tomoe appeared in his right eye and a single tomoe swirled in his left. The ninja seemingly appeared to move in slow motion and he could _count _the number of the sparks that flew out of the lightning enhanced kunai. He dodged the next set of strikes with grace, his eyes predicting where the attack would land next. If the enemy was taken aback by his sudden skill, the man didn't show it.

His thoughts began to have more clarity as his surroundings slowed down and his gaze landed upon the sack that the man dropped on the roof. A plan started to take root in his mind and he formed an army of clones to cover his movements. The clones charged at the man, some of them dispelling themselves to form a smoke cover around the enemy while another few henge'd into kunai and shuriken for other clones to throw.

Two such kunai landed inconspicuously near the baggage and Naruto dispelled his disguise, a mischievous grin on his lips. The other clone henge'd into a sack while Naruto hefted the sack onto its shoulders and sprinted as if the dogs of hell were snapping at his heels.

The Kumo shinobi dispelled all the clones in a couple of seconds, only to find that the original had disappeared in the meantime. He huffed to himself for failing to kill the brat when he had the opportunity. If the kid was this strong at five, who knew what kind of monster he'd become when he's older. But his mission was to kidnap the Hyuuga and it wouldn't do to change his priorities now – He'd report about the incident to the Raikage and the man could take whatever action he'd find fit.

He lifted the sack back onto his shoulders and high-tailed from the location, aware that somebody must already be in his pursuit. He barely succeeded at reaching the boundary of the village before a yellow flash obstructed his way.

"Don't you Kumo shinobi ever learn?" Minato asked rhetorically, his sharp gaze cutting into the foreign ninja. "You failed before and you fail now."

The sack on his shoulder dispelled its henge and the visage of a grinning Naruto greeted his incredulous gaze. His last thought as a Rasengan relieved him of his consciousness was that he never hated anyone in his life as much as he hated that brat.

* * *

The first thing that greeted Hinata as she opened her drowsy eyes was the beaming smile of a boy her age. She didn't know his name but it's obvious from the boy's Sharingan that he's an Uchiha. But he acted so unlike what she heard of the Uchiha that her mind had trouble comprehending the fact.

"Ano...w-who are you?" Hinata inquired in the politest tone she could manage given the situation.

"Oh, you're awake, Hinata-chan?" the boy ignored her question to check her body for any injuries. Her face flushed crimson at the close proximity but the boy seemed oblivious to it. "And I am Naruto Uchiha. You better remember the name of your future Hokage, Hinata-chan."

The boy spoke with such confidence as if him becoming the Hokage was an inevitability. In the face of such conviction, a stark contrast from her own behavior, she could only scrounge up a single question despite the dozens of queries popping up in her brain. "...H-how do you know my n-name?"

Naruto froze like a pond in harsh winter. Of all the stupid mistakes to commit...

"Heh...of course I know Hinata-chan, ya know...you're from my rival clan, ya know...and you've got those pretty eyes of your clan too. Why wouldn't I know of the Hyuuga heiress..." Naruto rambled like a lunatic but his prattling was interrupted by the arrival of a frantic Hiashi Hyuuga.

"Hinata, are you okay?" Hiashi paid no heed to his decorum as he dropped to his knees and fussed over the Hyuuga heiress like a mother hen. Only when he confirmed that his daughter was perfectly safe did he turn to the stranger in his vicinity. It only took a glance to confirm the identity of the boy – Naruto Uchiha, the troublemaker of the Uchiha clan.

"You're pretty late, old man," Naruto commented blithely, without a hint of hesitation. "I've already sent a clone to the Hokage. The culprit must be sitting in the T&I rooms by now, in case you want to get him."

The Hyuuga clan head stared in silence, watching as the tomoe in the boy's eyes swirled hypnotically. From the looks of it, he must have awakened them moments ago, if he still didn't realize that he had his Sharingan active. He'd ignore the 'old man' comment from now. "You have my gratitude, Naruto Uchiha."

Naruto rubbed the back of his head bashfully, a habit he couldn't seem to get rid of. The whole scenario was kind of familiar to him, considering that it had already occurred in his past life, although the consequences were vastly different. He was just a lonely, oblivious kid at that time and Neji's father had to pay the price for the entire ordeal. "There's no need for all that, ya know... I'd do it any day for Hinata-chan... I mean, for another leaf citizen."

Hinata eep'd in embarrassment, her face flushing a shade of red brighter than the moon. She hid behind her father and peeked over his back, something Hiashi didn't fail to notice. The Hyuuga head pushed it to the back of his mind, opting to inquire the boy about how he managed to go toe to toe against a Jonin level shinobi – even if the shinobi hadn't considered the boy a threat at the beginning. But whatever questions he had would wait for now, as he noticed the Fourth Hokage rushing to their location, accompanied by Fugaku, and Mikoto Uchiha. The trio landed ahead of them without making a noise, their faces etched with various degrees of worry.

"_Naruto-chan..." _his mother gave him a tight-lipped smile but obscured behind the smile, he could see the outline of a demon. His father stood beside his mother, a look of astonishment crossing the man's face at the sight of his son's Sharingan. "What made you think it's a good idea to run away at night and fight a Jonin?"

Thankfully, Naruto had already prepared a response. "Like any responsible citizen of the leaf village..."

His imprudent reply was cut off by Minato placing a hand on his shoulder, a hint of unrestrained curiosity lurking behind his stare. "And how do you know the shadow clone jutsu, Naruto?"

His parents couldn't withhold their surprise at that bit of info. Once again, Naruto had no reservations against throwing his father under the bus. "I've seen Otou-san do it many times. It's just a single hand-sign, you know, and not that difficult to perform too."

He formed a clone to prove his claim – if his knowledge of obscure jutsu could delay his mother's wrath, then he was all for it. Heck, he'd even form a Rasengan if that'd make her forget about the whole incident – A boy could hope.

While Minato and Fugaku conversed with the Hyuuga clan head in hushed whispers, his mother took the opportunity to lock him in her arms. "Don't think you're off the hook already, Naruto-chan."

The five-year-old gulped in terror, resigning himself to his fate.

Naruto always tried to do what's right. It's a tragedy that it frequently landed him in trouble. But as far as tragedies go, this one barely made the cut.

* * *

**Author's Note: I hate lengthy author notes. I don't hate lengthy reviews though. **


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